282
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
The first reference to a river-wall in West Ham known to me
is in a Fine dated 1199—1200, where the "Warewalla" is
mentioned.
A Fine of 1202-03 requires one of the parties thereto to
defend the wall (Wallam) against the Thames adjoining his
holding in the marsh of Rainham; and in 1210-11 another
Fine records an agreement come to between parties concerning
Walls, gutters and ditches to be made in Rainham marsh.
Mr. H. G. Richardson, quoted in Coulton's Medieval
Village, 1925 (p. 513), says: "The earliest references (to
leges marisci) I know relate to Essex ; of these, the earliest
(1201) refers to a lex de mariscis made in the time of Henry II."
In 1337 justices were appointed to view and enquire into
the state of repair of the banks of the Thames in Essex : at this
enquiry it was established that, in the time of King Henry III
[1216—1272], one John de Coverlee held in the marsh of
Westham 50 acres of land together with a bank called Coverlee's
Wall, and a piece of pasture for six kine called "Le Hope"
lying near the said bank without the said marsh, i.e. between
the bank and the river Thames. Coverlee's Wall must therefore
have existed before 1272.
There are several documentary references to the river-walls
in the parish of Barking. In 1255 distraints were ordered on
those persons owing contributions to the Abbess for repair of
the wall.3
In 1310, June 25, is the Enrolment of a Grant from Richard
de Sutton of Westhamme and John his son and heir to Sir Gilbert
de la Nye, rector of Rothyngge Abbess, of "5 acres of meadow
with a hope and walls in Berkingg lying in the meadow called
Melmad," etc.4
In 1313, Oct. 16, is an Order to the Keeper of the late
Templars' manor of Pourflet in Westthurrok to repair the mill,
walls and dykes of that manor.5
In 1328-29 Master Richard de Gloucestre left by Will money
for the repair and preservation of the walls of the Thames
within the manor of South Hall in East Tilbury.
Other, later, references to the river-walls exist. W. W.
Glenny, in an article on "The Dykes of the Thames" (Essex-
Review, x, p. 149), quotes several documents of 14th century date
concerning them.
3 Close Rolls.
4 Close Rolls, Edw. II, 1307-13.
5 Cal. Close Rolls, Edw. II, 1313-18.